


But Don't Say It Out Loud

by Jaakkola



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Angst and Feels, Awkward Conversations, Developing Relationship, Early Mornings, Late Night Conversations, Literal Sleeping Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Relationship Issues, Sharing a Bed, Sleeping Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:41:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21615166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaakkola/pseuds/Jaakkola
Summary: "Why are you awake?" Shaw asked, his voice clinging on to the last vestige of sleep."You woke me up."Shaw scoffed, "you can lie better than that."Sort of a part two toNeed Your Love
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw
Comments: 3
Kudos: 49





	But Don't Say It Out Loud

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for not posting anything in a while, I'm bouncing between several drafts and with classic Alterac Valley, I've been busy leveling alts in my spare time. Here's something small I wrote in-between drafts.

It was nearing dawn when Shaw stirred in Flynn's arms, and Flynn may or may not have been already awake when he does. Sleep, despite coming to him without issue many a night, was long gone. Not even the gentle rock of his ported ship and the sounds of the ocean waves could lull him this night like it had so many others.

Flynn was forced to use the time to think, as he was unable to do much else. He loathed the prospect of accidentally waking up Shaw, who seemed like he was getting more and more ragged as the war dragged on. He could keep his appearance seemly, yes, but nothing hid the dark circles that begun to line his eyes. His breathing was slow and steady as his head rested on Flynn's chest, and Flynn watched the man reluctantly move from his position in the low light of the lantern, giving the barest hint of illumination in Flynn's captain's quarters.

"Why are you awake?" Shaw asked, his voice clinging on to the last vestige of sleep.

"You woke me up."

Shaw scoffed, "you can lie better than that."

"Well, I just woke up, because of you, so my lying isn't that good."

That took Shaw a moment to process before he rested his head back on Flynn's chest and responded with, "your talking isn't that good either."

Flynn smiled wide, so full of fondness and affection that it surprised him. It was a glorious moment to have Shaw in his arms, in the quiet stillness before dawn. Of the times Shaw had joined Flynn on his ship instead of sticking on the _Wind's Redemption,_ Shaw had been gone by the time Flynn woke, already off to his duties when Flynn had to get to his. So to share a moment as simple and vulnerable as this filled Flynn with such a raw feeling that hadn't felt in a long while.

It was love, Flynn knew it, he had felt it before. He was more of a lover than a fighter, after all, though it had been a long time he had felt it with such intensity. 

"I need to get going," Shaw said. Flynn couldn't tell if he was imagining the slight reluctance in Shaw's voice or not. Regardless, he started to sit up from Flynn's grasp.

"Stay."

"I can't."

"Just for a bit."

Shaw sighed, glancing over to the porthole. "I need to leave when the sky starts to get light."

"That's plenty of time." Flynn pulled Shaw back against him.

They lied together in silence, well, as much silence as there could be when you were seated on the ocean in a sloop, just appreciating the other's company. It was in this stolen moment Flynn realized how close he was to screwing everything over. Upsettingly close.

"Your heart is beating fast." There was a frown in Shaw's tone.

Flynn hesitated. "So it is."

"Why?"

"Can't say. You'll laugh. Or leave."

"Fairwind."

"Probably leave."

_"Fairwind."_ Frustration bled through Shaw's tone as he propped himself up on an elbow to look at Flynn properly. With the way the lantern is situation on Flynn's desk, Shaw's face is obscured with darkness, giving Flynn no hint as to what his expression was. Stern, frustrated, worried, if he wasn't masking his expression in the first place.

"Okay, I'm afraid," Flynn relented, "happy?"

"What?" Shaw asked, "why?"

Flynn sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Because I love you," he forced out, "I love you and I care about you and you seem bloody terrified about the prospect about us being something and—" Flynn faltered, searching for words that don't come.

Shaw didn't say anything, just holding himself over Flynn in a very uncomfortable silence, expression hidden from Flynn. His heart beating terribly in his chest, and he felt Shaw's heart beating the same. It was good to know they were both properly terrified over this, Flynn supposed, but it wasn't promising.

Shaw pulled himself from the bed without a word, and a crestfallen feeling overtook Flynn. He watched Shaw quickly dress himself without so much as another glance in Flynn's direction. "Shaw," Flynn said as Shaw fastened his pauldrons on, not paying Flynn any mind. He sat up as Shaw pulled on his boots and headed for the door.

"Mathias," Flynn tried again, pleading. It was enough to make Shaw hesitate, and more words died in Flynn's throat. _Don't do this,_ Flynn wanted to say. An angrier part of him wanted to say, _You can't just hide from this. From us._

Neither came out, nor did anything else, and Shaw leaves without saying a single thing, closing the door behind him. Flynn fell back into bed with a pained exhale, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes, and waited for morning to come.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me at turalyfun on Tumblr. I post about wow, which I assume would be right up your alley if you're reading this.


End file.
